Hogwarts: Maximilian Black and the Wand Maker
by Alexander C Wolf
Summary: In 2015 Hogwarts gets a new student, Maximilian Black the first wand maker in over a hundred years... but he doesn't know that...  And the Vampire known as Darkness would very much like to meet  him.
1. Ch1 Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth

Maximilian Black, and the Wand Maker

Chapter 1: Looking a gift horse in the mouth

Rated or T unverified

Life Stinks, and then you die. I just hadn't gotten to the dead part yet. Up to this point in my life I had been the most un-extraordinary person on the face of the Earth. I got home after a 12 hour night shift at the hospital that was amazingly exciting. Unfortunately, it was all the types of excitement that you can do without. Five code browns (that stands for patients who poop in their bed and I get to clean it up), and several other things I can't talk about because of privacy laws.

Where I worked and what I did you prayed for the most boring night possible.

I was out of place, had been my whole life. The problem with my life is that I never belonged anywhere. I always felt like I was living someone else's life. My birthday was today, and I felt like I was more like an 11 year old, than in my thirties. I kept having these dreams that I had a sister somewhere, which I didn't. I always felt like something was out of place. Sometimes in the middle of the night I would get up and look in the mirror and think that it wasn't me looking back. I can't explain why. It just did. Like somewhere inside of me was the real me trapped inside of the life I was living.

I read a book about a guy with a time machine once when I was kid. I was fascinated by the subject of time travel. I'm not sure why. I just am. I often wished that I could have a time machine and go back and start all over again. The problem was I wasn't really sure what was wrong to begin with, or how to fix it. Of course there was also the problem with changing the past. As HG wells pointed out that you can't go back in time and change the past because you eliminate the reason that you went back in time in the first place. I hadn't figured that one out either.

As I walked into my house from my 12 hour night shift, 3rd in a row. It was my birthday, and I wanted to find out if anybody sent me any more cards. My Mom and Dad had already taken me out to dinner a few nights before to celebrate.

I sorted through the mail that my roommate had brought in the night before. Junk mostly. I got another birthday card with a gift certificate in it. Along with that letter was another letter. It was the strangest thing I had ever seen. The envelope was made out of parchment, and I couldn't identify the type of glue holding it together. It has a seal on the back made out of green wax with four animals on it.

The return address was cryptic if I had ever seen such a thing. It was in emerald green ink.

Headmaster Wolfrick Sebastian Brightwood,

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

England

That was a pretty vague. It was either a joke, or a scam. I was sure of that. The address was definitely to me. It read:

Mr. Maximilian Alexander Black

26784 w 37th Place

Master bedroom

Phoenix, Arizona 75112

United States

I figured that a letter bomb, or terrorist bio-weapon attack, wouldn't be addressed in something so overtly weird and decided to open the letter.

Hogwarts School

Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Wolfrick Sebastian Brightwood

Head boy; Hogwarts House of Slytherin 1989-90

Order of Merlin, 1st Class,

Ultimate Wizard Champion #37, #38, #39,#41,# 42

Saga for Lunch Bunch; Treasurer

MDIV, St. Michael's

Office of Vampire Affairs (ret.)

Regimental Sergeant Major; Special Magic Services (ret.)

Warlock Commander

Medal of Valor

Dear Mr. Maximilian Alexander Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of all necessary items for first years. The term begins on Sept 1st, we expect your Owl no later than July 31st.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Wolfrick Sebastian Brightwood

Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

P.S.

Dear Mr. Black,

We very much look forward to you attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We are aware of the special circumstances regarding your age and blood status as you are half human and half freeElf. Although a half-human/half-freeElf student has not attended Hogwarts in 348 years we are attentive of your circumstances and will work with you to make your time both comfortable and productive.

We are pleased to inform you that at one time half-human/half-freeElf students at Hogwarts were fairly common and have shown great ease with relating and adjusted very well to life at Hogwarts, The entire staff is very excited about you being here and look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,

Professor Hermione Weasley. Aka Professor Grainger

Please see me, Professor Longbottom, or Headmaster Brightwood if you need any assistance.

P.S. 2

Max,

I am very much looking forward to seeing you once again, although you were probably to young to remember our first meeting. I myself started at Hogwarts a little older that most students, I was sixteen when I started. The staff and students were great and I had a wonderful time and learned tremendous amounts of magic. The professors are already clamoring on about how great it would be to have you in their house. I must admit I would be proud for you to be sorted into my house, Slytherin, but I'm certain that you will do very well in any of the others, weather it be Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw.

By the way most people call me "Professor Wolf", my first name, although Professor Brightwood is just as good. I also answer to "Hey you, I forgot your name."

Also, since you are technically emancipated you will be allowed a broom, should you desire to purchase one. Also, since you are technically emancipated you will not be restricted by the use of magic by underage wizards act. However, since you have little experience in the matter I highly encourage you to see me before attempting any magic. I am proficient in teaching students to control accidental magic, as this was an issue in my youth as well.

Sincerely,

Professor Wolfrick Sebastian Brightwood

Headmaster, Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry

P.S. 3

Mr. Black,

You've been awarded a scholarship from Weasley's Half-Blood, and Muggle Born scholarship fund. Please see my most excellent brother George Weasley at Weasley's Wand Emporium for details.

Sincerely,

Professor Charlie Weasley.

The second page with requirements said:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WHICHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Items needed for first years.

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

sets of plain work robes (black, or gray)

plain pointed hat, or skull cap (black, or gray) for day wear

pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

winter cloak (black, or gray, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic

by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory

by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

by Phyllida Spore

Bottling Magic

by Serverus Snape, Edited by Neville Corwin Longbottom

Amazing Magical Animals and What they Think of Us

by Rubeus Hagrid

Defense Against the Dark Arts for Novices

By Harry James Potter,

with contributions from: Remus John Lupin, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape; Edited by: Harry James Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Weasley.

With introduction by Wolfrick Sebastian Brightwood

Vampire Basics; Myths and Realities

By Wolfrick Sebastian Brightwood

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand:

Due to the extreme shortage of wands if your family is able to supply a wand inherited from an ancestor it is greatly appreciated.

If your family is blessed enough to be mind-bogglingly wealthy and can afford a new wand we appreciate if you purchase one. Weasley's Wand Emporium gives a 25% discount to all Hogwart's Students who pay cash for their wand, limit one per student.

If you cannot do any of the preceding, we do not expect, or encourage, any family to place three mortgages on their homes to buy student's a wand. Weasley's Wand Emporium can supply a wand on scholarship to any Hogwart's first year students (this letter required). Scholarship wands are enchanted so that you can't sell them. If you receive a Scholarship wand please write a thank you letter to:

Order of the Phoenix wand Scholarship program:

Care of Angelina Weasley

Weasley's Wand Emporium

Diagon Alley

London, England.

If you elect to buy your own wand then Weasley's Wand Emporium has 84 month financing (for Hogwarts Students ONLY) with only 3% interest through Gringots wizarding bank, and with no credit divination necessary. Scholarship wands are not available for students who finance their wands.

other equipment needed

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad OR a small dog (under 20 lbs.)

This was without a doubt the worst joke I had ever seen. I wondered who did it. The handwriting wasn't from my friend Jeremy, or his wife Susan. I wasn't in the mood for a good joke.

What kind of dumb-made-up-name was "Harry Potter" anyway, and what made him so special? Gosh. He was probably some bloke who made millions by getting people to send him fifty bucks for his book, How to Get Someone to Send You $50 for a Book. Well "Harry Potter" whoever he was wasn't getting money from me, I don't care if he had seven books!

I threw the letter in the trash and went to sleep. I half expected to see a list on the back of twenty people to send fifty dollars to. Chain letters. Junk. I took the letter out of the trash shredded it and then went back to bed.

Too bad they didn't give me a chance to win a Harley Davidson motorcycle, or maybe a time machine.

Did the letter say I was a half-elf… weird. I didn't feel like a half-elf… of course I didn't feel like me either… whatever that meant… I had a weird dream that day (remember I work nights), it was the kind of dream where you can't tell if the dream is the dream or reality is the dream.

END OF CHAPTER 1:

This is a work of fanfiction. It is intended for simple fun. Enjoy.

The Content of this work is targeted at "K+" but stated at "T" just in case.

If you like it please tell all your friends!

Alexander C Wolf


	2. Ch2 Return To Sender

Harry Potter FanFiction

Maximilian Black and the Wand Maker

Chapter 2: "Return To Sender"

Rated T

Unverified

For the next several days I got several more chain letters. They were all the same. On the seventh day I went to my parent's house after work, they only live 10 minutes away from the hospital where I work, and I got one there. It was addressed:

Mr. Maximilian Alexander Black

Staying overnight at parent's house

Mom's Sewing room/Guest bedroom

687785 East 132nd Ave.

Scottsdale, Arizona 77119

United States

I couldn't believe it. It showed it to mom and dad and they couldn't make heads or tails of it either. How did the sender know I was sleeping at my mom and dad's today? This was really weird, more so than was possible. I started to think about the possibilities.

1. This was a joke. It was a chain letter and/or someone was just having fun with me.

a. Not possible. The letter was addressed to me and I hadn't even decided to stay at my mom and dad's until this morning. No way someone could have predicted that.

2. It was magic of some sort, and all the letter's talk of magic was actually real.

a. Supporting evidence

i. No one knew I was at mom and dad's not even me until I decided this very morning.

ii. No postage. Someone other than the post office had to be delivering letters.

iii. Letter is international. The return address had England on it, and the delivering address had "United States" on it. Letters sent from within the US never had to put "USA" on it. Not even if it was from Canada, because their zip codes and ours were coordinated as to not overlap. International letters took time to deliver and whoever did this was fast. Really fast.

b. Conclusion:

i. Had to me magic, "when you've eliminated all the logical explanations whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be true" Ambassador Spock, quoting Sherlock Holmes.

Ok, I thought to myself. But how was I going to get a letter back to this Brightwood fellow. I couldn't send it USPS, or FedEx… It took me a few hours to sort it out but I had a plan. It might even work. I typed up a letter myself and printed it off in green ink. That seemed to be the way. I addressed it.

Professor Sebastian Wolfrick,

Head boy Hogwarts; House of Slytherin 1989-90 - Order of Merlin, 1st Class, - Ultimate Wizard Champion #37, #38, #39,#41,# 42 - Saga for Lunch Bunch; Treasurer - MDIV, St. Michael's - Office of Vampire Affairs (ret.) - Regimental Sergeant Major; Special Magic - Services (ret.) - Warlock Commander - Medal of Valor

Headmaster; Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

England

Dear Professor Wolfrick,

I have received your letters regarding my "acceptance" to Hogwart's school of witchcraft and wizardry. Although I am flattered I must admit I have no idea of what you are referring to. To the best of my knowledge magic doesn't really exist. However, I am befuddled on how you are able to send me these letters so quickly. Therefore, I am willing, at least for the moment, to entertain the possibility that you're not a complete nutter.

Please enclose in your next letter a complete explanation of who and what you are and how it relates to me.

Sincerely,

Max Black,

Patient Care Tech 2nd Class

Bachelor of Science: Classics

Amateur Guitar Builder

P.S. Who is "Harry Potter" and why is he so important?

P.S.2 A Phone number would be helpful, I have international calling on my cell phone plan. Please don't hesitate to call me. I'm guessing you can find my number.

P.S. 3 The letter mentions that I'm not human, but half human. What's up with that?

I stuffed this letter back in the envelope that had been addressed to me and wrote on it:

RETURN TO SENDER

Mr. Maximilian Alexander Black

Staying overnight at parent's house

Mom's Sewing room/Guest bedroom

687785 East 132nd Ave.

Scottsdale, Arizona 77119

United States

RETURN TO SENDER

I wasn't sure if whoever the postman was would return a letter that had been opened but I wasn't sure how to re-seal a letter sealed in wax. I examined the seal to contemplate what to do about it,… when it repaired itself right before my eyes.

Did I do that? I must have. It can't be a coincidence. I took a closer look at the wax seal. It was perfectly intact, and instead of an "H" encrusted on the seal, it now had a griffin on it. It was my seal, my family seal, I knew. How I knew that I didn't know, but I did know. My heat leaped. Maybe I really was special somehow.

I placed it back in the mailbox and hoped for the best. It occurred to me that some practical joker was going to get a real good laugh out of me but I was willing to risk it.

I fell into one of the best sleeps I had ever had and dreamed about castles and magic. Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't worthless after all.

I awoke. I got dressed, showered, played with the dogs and did all the other things I did when staying at my mom and dad's house. I would go back to my place tonight. After a nice dinner I did in fact drive the familiar drive all the way back to my house, about 20 minutes from my mom and dads. I checked the mailbox before I left and there was nothing in it. The "RETURN TO SENDER" letter was gone. But nothing had been placed back in it. Maybe I wasn't crazy.

I got home and went to put my phone on the charger when I realized that I had turned it off. I turned it back on to check my messages. It would be too much to hope for if the "magic" people had tried to contact me.

My phone chirped. I had thirty-seven missed phone calls. Sixty-two new text messages and nineteen new voice mails.

Missed Phone Calls

1. Blocked Caller

2. Blocked Caller

3. Blocked Caller

4. International Caller

5. Arizona State Capitol

6. Blocked Caller

7. Blocked Caller

8. Harry J. Potter

9. Blocked Caller

10. Harry J. Potter

11. Great Brittan Embassy to United States

12. Fred Weasley Jr.

13. Fred Weasley Jr.

14. Fred Weasley Jr.

15. Blocked Caller

16. International Caller

17. Office of the Minster of Magic

18. Mrs. Hermione Weasley

19. International Caller

20. Phone Booth, London England

21. Phone Booth, London England

22. Fred Weasley Jr.

23. Collect Call from Wolfrick Brightwood

24. Collect Call from Wolfrick Brightwood

25. Harry Potter

26. Ministry of Magic

27. Blocked Caller

28. Collect Call from ""

29. Blocked Caller

30. Ronald Weasley

31. Jeremy McCliment

32. Block Buster Video

33. Arizona Healthcare

34. Harry Potter

35. Harry Potter

36. Ronald Weasley

Wow, that was a lot of missed phone calls.

I looked at the first text message:

Max, just got return letter, thousand apologies. Memory charm we put on you was supposed to wear off before you got first letter. Not sure why it didn't work. Don't panic. Go home. Brightwood on way to USA. DON'T OPEN THE DOOR UNLESS IT'S HIM. NOT SAFE. Ron Weasley Minster of Magic.

2nd text message:

Your phone is off, we're trying to get a hold of you. Harry Potter. Office of Aurors.

3rd text message:

Ron Forgot to tell you what Professor Brightwood looks like. He's big and scary looking with a shaved head and goatee with no mustache. Has tattoo of crucifix on left arm (he's left handed) and a cobra on right arm (he was in Slytherin). Explain latter. Yours; Hermione Weasley. P.S. STAY SAFE, we're on our way to USA now. Just landed in Iceland.

4th text message

Max, Got your number from uncle Ron's office, don't tell him though. Can't wait to meet you, were going to be in the same class at Hogwarts. Really cool. Yours; Fred Weasley 2nd. Comedian 1st class, Order of Humorous people: Supreme Paragon, Fraternal order of Humble People, future leader of the universe. PS dad gave me a map of all the secret passages at Hogwarts. CANT WAIT!

Looks like I've made some friends at least. I was about to get to the next text when the doorbell rang.

END OF CHAPTER 2:

Next Chapter: The Pensive

This is a work of FanFiction. It is intended solely for fun. Enjoy.

Alexander C Wolf

Email me at


	3. Ch3 The Pensive

Harry Potter FanFiction

Maxamillian Black and the Wand Maker

Chapter 3: The Pensive

Whoever was knocking on the front door, he was a big man. The sounds of his fist against the door rang against my cinder block constructed house like a kettle drum. What was more interesting, was that my dog wasn't barking. In fact, he ran to the front door like a comet, and started crying like an old friend was on the other side. Fireball (my dog) was a good judge of character, and this was a good "omen" as it were.

This was certainly Professor Brightwood. My text message from that person, who I couldn't remember, described him accurately. He was big enough to play American rules football. He wore what looked like a leather breast plate and it looked like it was made out of dragon scales. It had very strong enchantments on it I knew. He had gauntlets and greaves to match. Around his neck he wore what looked like a dog chain, that had a gold ring on it with a large red gemstone set in it. When he saw me through the door's window he was visibly relieved to see I was alright. A large sigh went across his mouth, and he closed his eyes in a release on fear and tension.

Why this intimidating man would fear anything, I had no idea. He looked as if he could hunt bear with a stick, and give the stick to the bear. I could see the crucifix on his left arm. It was a Celtic cross, but what struck me was the detail, and it almost seemed alive, like a 3d image on his arm. He had a nasty scar across his neck, like he had been bitten.

I let him in, despite the fact that it seemed all so crazy. He was even bigger on this side of the door. He must have weighed 250, easy, that's about 115 kilos. Normally I would have been extremely careful about letting a man like this into my personal space, much less into my house. But Fireball seemed to really like him. This man had dogs of his own, and Fireball could smell them. Almost without realizing it he hugged me. He was cold, and a little damp. I think he could have hugged the stuffing out of me. This was not the gesture I expected from a man who looked like an entire biker gang condensed into a single individual. I admit that I felt very safe in this man's embrace, and between you and me, I'm kind of a macho man so that's really saying something. Fireball was getting very jealous. He (Brightwood, not Fireball) spoke for the first time.

"Thank the Lord you're safe." He said with a thick Scottish accent. He finally let go of me. "When we got the 'return to sender' letter we feared Darkness might find you before we did." Darkness was a proper name. He was a person. It was not a thing. I looked at him puzzled. He understood my expression.

"Blighme," said he. "You don't remember anything do you." It wasn't a question.

"uh, no." I replied

The large intimidating looking man sat in one of my chairs, he looked exhausted, like he knew where the chair was. He had been in my house before. I imagine he had magically come all the way from England. He looked like it. Fireball jumped in his lap quicker than you could say 'puppy dog'.

"Well hello there Fireball, I suspect you smell me doggie Angel." He stroked Fireball's ears like a professional dog lover and turned his attention back to me. He knew my dog's name, I hadn't mentioned it. "We put a memory charm on you so that you wouldn't remember. Safer that way. It was supposed to wear off two weeks ago, right before you got your letter."

"Well it didn't work," said I, "Because I don't know you from Adam and Eve." The weight of what I said seemed to hit him. I had just let a complete stranger into my house.

"Max, I glad you let me in, but you must be very careful about it. You can open the door for someone, but never, never, never, never, never, never, ever, never-ever-ever-ever… " His accent was very sure of itself. "Ever i-n-v-i-t-e someone into your house even if they look like your own mother, and ESPECIALLY if they ask to come in." He said this as if it were the single most important thing he had ever told anyone. I think it may have actually been that important.

"You mean like a vampire?" I said like he couldn't be serious. He gave me a face that said that he was as serious as a heart attack.

"Aye Max, Precisely like a vampire! We enchanted you so that the undead couldn't enter the place you lived. Of course anyone you invite can always come in. But of course, you don't remember do you?"

"No, I don't." What was weird is that none of this actually seemed as strange as it should be. I said as much to the man and added. "Who are you by the way?" I sensed, even as I said this that this man had risked much on my behalf.

"Ugh, I completely forgot, where's me manners? Professor Wolfrick Brightwood, at your service. Most folks just call me Wolf."

"Can you remove the memory charm from me?" again the strangeness of the question didn't actually seem strange. Almost like we were discussing the big game.

"I'm afraid not. Hermione, she's a friend of mine, is really very good at them. If I know Hermione your memory is locked up tighter than a dragon's (he hesitated) bite. I can, however, show you the memory anyway." I must have looked extremely confused now. But this was really exciting. I was about to see my first bit of magic. I was sure of it.

With that another man appeared outside the front window seemingly out of nowhere. It was like he was wearing a cloak of invisibility, which I suspect he a-c-t-u-a-l-l-y was. Yes indeed, I got a better look at it as he folded it and put in to his pocket, almost like a he would a cell phone. Coooool. This man was a stark contrast to Professor Wolf. This man was of medium build, with jet black hair, He wore round glasses and had a thin beard. He had a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt. Very cool. He looked in the window and was relieved to see me and Professor Wolf both here in the same room. This seemed to relax me as well. He knocked on the door.

He stole a quick glance at me and Professor Wolf and asked, "May I come in?" The tone in his voice betrayed that there was a hidden message behind this question. I've always been very good at reading other people's tone of voice as well as their words. I quickly remembered what Professor Wolf had said to me. "Absolutely not!" I stated with resolve. It was almost as if I had told the man we were going to a theme park, he was so pleased with my response.

"Excellent." Said the slender man. He came in.

"Max, this is Harry Potter." Harry extended his hand.

"Good to see you again Max. I'm Harry Potter." He said like he was pretending not to be a big deal. His tone said otherwise though.

I didn't let go of his hand, "Pleased to meet you Mr. Putter, I have no idea who you are."

He looked at me with kind eyes, "I can't tell you how nice that is to hear." I was surprised, but he meant it. Brightwood chuckled to an inside joke I didn't know. Harry turned to join Brightwood in the chair next to him. "Memory charm didn't wear off." It wasn't a question.

"No." Confirmed Brightwood. "Harry can you check the enchantments around the house?"

Harry Potter sprang from his chair like he had a purpose. This guy was quick. Despite being obviously winded he snapped to it, "I'm on it." He said. As he went to the back door, I noticed he seemed to know exactly where it was. He had been in my house before. He knew the layout, and he knew it well. I had a strange sensation, sort of like seeing a guardian angle and having a man walk over your grave at the same time. I followed him through the kitchen and got him a diet soda from the fridge. That seemed to please him. I got one for me and Brightwood as well.

"You two have been in my house before." I stated flatly. I wasn't upset, but I wanted some insight to what was going on.

"Max, there is a lot to explain to you." That was like saying the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a big boating accident. I made certain to express that thought in my face. He held up his amulet, with the red gemstone set in the ring on it. "This gem works like a pensive, Max. It's a magical device that can share and store memories." With that he took out a wand from his belt. It was lacewood, and had a beholder's eye for a core. How did I know that…? Professor Wolf placed the tip to his head and drew out a silvery web like energy from his head. He placed it in the gemstone. He took off the amulet, and handed it to me. As I put it on I could feel the magical energies from it. This amulet was made for him, specifically, for him. But the gemstone ring wasn't. It was made for someone else. A girl named Ariana. It struck me. I seemed to know something about anything that was magic. The same way I could read people's expressions and the tone in their voice. Very cool, it was something I could do, and it was m-a-g-i-c-a-l.

Brightwood and I looked into the gemstone facing each other. The room around me began to disappear in silvery smoke and then Professor Wolf and I appeared in another place.


End file.
